Casey Anthony Lawyer Says Probation Requirement Puts Her in 'Great Peril'

Aug. 2, 2011— -- Casey Anthony's legal team went to court today to block a judge's order that she report to a probation officer this week, arguing that the judge was prejudiced against Anthony and his order would put her "in great peril."

The legal challenge filed by attorney Cheney Mason also claims that Anthony has already served her probation while in jail for the last three years.

Anthony, 25, has been in hiding seen since she was acquitted last month of murdering her daughter Caylee. She has also been dogged by death threats.

The order by Judge Stan Strickland is part of her sentence for an earlier conviction of stealing checks from a friend and fraudulently cashing them. Forcing Anthony to report to a probation officer this week could put the Florida woman back in the spotlight.

"Any requirement that she return to Orange County put her in great peril, as well as impose a significant cost to taxpayers in securing her safety," the court papers state.

Mason's filing states that Strickland was wrong to order her to serve out her probation because a Florida Department of Corrections notice that her probation was completed while in jail, and technical mistakes Strickland made in his order.

Casey Anthony Fears 'Great Peril' If Force to Report to Probation Officer

It goes on to charge that Strickland, who was asked to recuse himself from Anthony's murder trial, is prejudiced against Anthony.

"Upon motion by the defendant based on reasonable fear that she would not receive a fair trial, Honorable Stan Strickland was disqualified" from the case, Mason's filing states. "The defendant's fears have only been confirmed [by] the judge's participation in tabloid entertainment program Nancy Grace."

After Anthony was acquitted of murder, Strickland told Grace, "I just couldn't believe it. ... I try to think why it occurred and I'm still not sure."

He added, "It's not the first verdict I've been surprised at. I've just never seen one like this, and the magnitude of it sort of surprised me. I guess I'm just shocked."

When Strickland sentenced Anthony in January 2010, he ordered her to serve 412 days in jail followed by a year's probation on charges that she stole checks from her friend Amy Huizenga and fraudulently cashed them.

When Anthony was released from jail on July 17, she was granted time served for the 412 days of jail time on the check fraud charges, and prison officials interpreted the judge's order to mean that her probation was also served during her time in jail.

Strickland signed an order Monday clarifying his ruling, saying he intended her probation would be served once she was released from jail.

According to court documents, Strickland's order also requires that Anthony pay $348 in court costs and $20 a month for the supervision required with her probation sentence. She is also barred from any contact with Huizenga.

Huizenga was friends with Anthony while Anthony was engaged to Ricardo Morales. The two women even talked about getting a place together, but those plans never materialized. When Anthony and Morales broke up, Huizenga moved in with Morales.

Anthony would be required to report to her probation officer by the fifth day of every month, and she would not be allowed to leave Orange County, Fla., without permission from her probation officer.